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It’s Time for the Steelers to Add Playmakers

It’s Time for the Steelers to Add Playmakers

March 5,2013
by steeldad

This is something I really wanted to wait and write a week or so heading into the draft, but I just need to get it off my chest. Obviously much of what I say here can be severely altered in the next few weeks due to off-season moves and rookie pro days, but that really isn’t going to change my thinking too much.

The Pittsburgh Steelers need playmakers and they can’t wait for the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL Draft to get them.

You have to go back to the 2008 draft to find a time when the Steelers selected a skill-position player in the first round. In 2012, the Steelers did not select a skill player until the 5th round and he’s no longer on the roster. In 2011, they did not select a skill position guy until the 7th round.

The Steelers for years have sunk money into their defense and now with a franchise quarterback in his prime, it’s time to show the offense some love. Look at this breakdown of how much money is contractually spent on defensive players versus offensive for the Steelers. It’s a little mind-numbing, but not surprising.

League-wide, the Steelers rank 4th in terms of amount spent on defense and they rank 29th in the amount spent on offense. If you think in terms of money, the defense takes up $64.9 million while the offense takes up $45.2 million.

I’m not suggesting those should be more on a level of 50/50, but it’s clear that this organization needs to stop wasting the talent of a pro bowl quarterback by surrounding him with second-tier talent.

Since 2008, the Steelers have drafted a defensive tackle, center, defensive end and guard with their first picks. Of that group, only Maurkice Pouncey has ‘panned out’ to this point and while there is still time for Cam Heyward and Ziggy Hood, that time is expiring quickly. Certainly David DeCastro will need another year or two before any judgment can be passed.

The bottom line is that the Steelers need to show Todd Haley and Ben Roethlisberger that they are willing to spend high picks on offense. Yes, the defense still needs to replace aging vets but the way this draft is shaking out, I like the depth of potential playmakers in the early rounds more than ever before.

The Steelers need to look into this direction sooner rather than later.

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Second tier talent? Just because the Steelers have drafted well and got value on their buck...it doesn't mean they have neglected the O. The main issue with the O has been the OL. We have had WRs, possibly a top 5 receiver core in the NFL. Wallace, Brown, Miller, Sanders, Cotchery are a pretty great crew. What the heck is this guy talking about?

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This article fails to acknowledge the 1st round pick spent on a RB that the Steelers are letting go, the 2 3rd round picks on WR's, one that is the top WR FA available, that the Steelers are letting go, the fact that in 3 years the Steelers have spent 2 1st round picks on OLinemen & 2 2nd round picks on OLinemen in order to keep Ben healthy, and that they recently dumped a bucketload of cash on Antonio Brown to keep him around.

The disparity between the Defense & Offense is NOTHING to do with a lack of committment to Offensive players. The gap in the 'cost' between O & D will close once the young O players reach their 2nd contracts & move out of their rookie contracts. The D is older, and mostly playing on 2nd or 3rd contracts- much more financially weighty than any rookie contract.

Do the Steelers need playmakers? You bet. When you lose your big play threat, and your #1 RB in the same year, then yes- playmakers are required. But they need playmakers on D too because it's not the high paid O players that are getting cut from the roster over the next year or 2. Someone will be needed to replace the Harrison's, Foote's, Taylor's, Clark's & Polamalu's.

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I think we need playmakers too. On Defense.

We have 3 SuperStars that have carried this team in Ben, Troy, and Harrison. The 2 defenders are near end of their careers. And the QB hasn't done a great job of staying healthy down the stretch the last couple years either.

Can these 3 guys dominate and stay healthy? If yes, we're in the SuperBowl hunt. If not, we need to replace their production. And that's gonna take time. Gotta get equivalent type of impact players to carry the team. Not easy to find guys like any of these 3.